After struggling through a shorthanded month and suffering through a string of second-half collapses, the Red Bulls were finally healthy and desperate for any kind of win. What they got was a 5-0 emasculation of Toronto, their much-needed first shutout since April and their biggest rout in two years.
“It was perfect the way we killed the game, and ended up scoring five goals. (It was) one of the better performances of the year,’’ said coach Hans Backe. “It’s great…We definitely needed a clean sheet.’’
After injuries and Gold Cup callups had depleted their roster, they fielded their first-choice lineup minus injured Rafa Marquez. The result was a dominating effort in front of 15,269 at Red Bull Arena, one that improved them to 6-3-10 for 28 points and lifted them a point ahead of Philadelphia atop the Eastern Conference.
The Red Bulls had seen their defense fall apart since mid-May, going 1-2-7 for just ten of a possible 30 points, their 20 goals allowed a league-high according to Elias. But they kept a clean sheet for the first time since April 30, and posted their biggest rout since thrashing this same Toronto squad 5-0 to close Giants Stadium in 2009.
“There was only one team on the field tonight. We were fantastic,’’ said Dax McCarty. “It’s an emphatic win for our team, confidence-building.’’
Juan Agudelo scored twice off Joel Lindpere assists; but it was McCarty and Teemu Tainio as twin holding midfielders that anchored a suddenly-airtight defense, and injured striker Luke Rodgers’ return that sparked a season-high offensive outburst. He’d missed four straight league games with plantar fasciitis, but had a goal, assist and yellow card in changing the team’s dynamic.
In the team’s ten games without its first-choice strike tandem, they’ve struggled to 1-2-7 for just ten points, outscored 13-15. But in the nine games Rodgers has started up top with Thierry Henry, they’re 5-1-3 for 18 points, outscoring foes 21 to 8. They’ve looked MLS Cup-worthy with that tandem, and Rodgers came off in the 57th minute to help spare him for Saturday’s derby against archrival D.C.
“I don’t think anyone could wish for anything else. Everyone is pleased and I think this’ll kick-start us again. If you play well enough, there’s no reason you can’t win every single game,’’ said Rodgers. “I’ve been out three weeks, and just to get back on the pitch was brilliant; and obviously to score is a bonus.’’
In the 33rd minute, Rodgers took a Jan Gunnar Solli cross and tapped it to Henry for the French captain’s league-high ninth goal of the season. Five minutes later, Rodgers took a low Solli cross, settling it from his left foot to his right and blasting it past a helpless Frei for a 2-0 cushion.
He picked up as yellow, and was lucky not to get another, when he appeared to elbow Toronto keeper Stefan Frei on a free kick, erasing Lindpere’s free kick goal. But the hustle and bite he brought changed the game.
With Red Bull GM Erik Soler telling the Post he’ll bring in a new keeper in the next few weeks, veteran Greg Sutton got the start over Bouna Coundoul and made a huge fingertip save on Javier Martina in the 52nd minute that bounced off the post; and Lindpere scored moments later to put the game away.
Henry _ playing as a support striker in a 4-4-1-1, free to drop into a midfield now devoid of Dwayne De Rosario and pick up the ball to run at defenders or playmake _ sent a perfect ball to Dane Richards, who laid it off to an onrushing Lindpere. The Estonian beat Richard Eckersley for his fourth goal in three games.
“If the ball went in the back of the net, trust me, I think it would have been another game,’’ said Henry, who points to their defense as the key to their title hopes. “It doesn’t matter if Luke is playing or not playing, or if I’m playing or not playing…As I said so many times, it’s a matter of not conceding goals. That’s the trouble with us.’’
But not last night. Rodgers came off in the 57th minute, his left heel sore and his yeoman’s work done; and Agudelo scored the first brace of his young career. He rose above defender Ty Harden to head home a Lindpere corner in the 67th, then slid onto the latter’s low cross in the 89th.
About the only negative last night was Tainio earning a yellow card that will force him to miss Saturday’s game; but he’s been carrying a groin injury and could use the time off. It was that kind of night for the Red Bulls where even the negatives became positives; meanwhile, McCarty was already looking forward to facing the United team that dealt him away last week.
“It’ll definitely be weird. I’ll be friends with them before the whistle, but after the whistle blows it’s time to go out there and prove to them maybe they made a mistake in letting me go,’’ said McCarty. “My mentality is to win MLS Cup in New York, and we have the players and the talent.’’
